Police department hosts FBI training course

Published: Thursday, October 24, 2013 at 4:48 p.m.

Last Modified: Thursday, October 24, 2013 at 4:48 p.m.

Forty-five officers from at least five eastern states trekked to Hendersonville this week to learn about leadership in a nationally-acclaimed class, hosted by a small police department with big ambitions.

Hendersonville Police Chief Herbert Blake said his promise when he was appointed to lead the force six years ago this December “was to introduce the staff to the best leadership training available.”

Since then, the 51-full-time-member Hendersonville Police Department has hosted several classes ranging from law enforcement training for officers across the region to rape aggression defense classes and bike safety courses for citizens.

Monday marked the department’s second time hosting a Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Law Enforcement Executive Development Association institute. This course focused on command leadership.

“I wanted to host the courses because other leaders within our department — Capt. Bruce Simonds, Lt. Chris Leroy and Sgt. Brandon McGaha — were extremely motivated to make this happen as well, and willing to serve as facilitators for the course,” Blake said.

The LEEDA Command Institute covers topics such as credibility, leading a new command, leading change, organizational culture, surviving and succeeding as a policy executive, vicarious liability and establishing a leadership legacy.

But lessons go beyond the textbook.

“One of the biggest components (of the class) is we’re not really instructing, we’re facilitating. We facilitate a discussion where the officers learn from each other,” said LEEDA Instructor Tim Plotts. “It’s about cops talking to cops.”

In a class that encourages candid group discussion, officers divulge experiences — some painful, some pleasant — that have shaped them as officers or helped them in their professions.

“It’s group learning,” Plotts said.

One officer shared that his city’s department takes the time to meet and greet new residents, shaking their hands and welcoming them to the area, with the help of addresses on city water bills. Another classmate said his department does something similar.

“It’s not traditional policing,” Plotts said, but the quick get-to-know-you sessions can be a positive exchange with a public who may have otherwise only seen the officer as just a law-enforcing cop.

Another lesson from home surfaced in the class a year ago, when officers shared the painful stigma heaped on their shoulders after former Henderson County Sheriff Rick Davis resigned amid controversy. Plotts admitted that the law enforcement profession hasn’t always been the best at preparing officers for how to deal with issues as they rise through the ranks.

“Let’s be a little bit more proactive about how we lead people as opposed to learning from our bumps and bruises... Those bumps and bruises take some time to get over and if we can avoid them,” he said in a nod to the LEEDA class.

Plotts, a local FBI LEEDA instructor who retired from the N.C. Highway Patrol after 30 years of service, has been teaching the course for two years. His next stop will be Polson, Mont.

Keith Bushey, who instructed the course with him this week, is a retired Marine who served several years in law enforcement, including a stint as a commander for the Los Angeles Police Department.

Blake has graduated from three week-long FBI leadership courses, referred to as regional command colleges, associated with LEEDA. He is a member of the FBI LEEDA program.

“These courses are extremely well received and come highly recommended,” he said.

Officers hailing from Ohio, Maryland, Virginia and both Carolinas will join the ranks of FBI LEEDA Command Institute graduates and members Friday at the city’s Operations Center. Several Hendersonville officers will graduate from the class.

“What I want to have implemented and what I believe is being implemented during my leadership as chief from these kinds of training experiences is for our workforce to have a strong customer service orientation. I also want to have leadership practiced at all levels within our department, to push the decision-making process to the front line of services where most of the work gets done,” Blake said.

With a growing reputation of officers rising to new positions, and two employees leaving to serve as police chiefs over the past couple of years, the training seems to be paying off at the Hendersonville Police Department.

“By and large our employees believe we are viewed as a flagship agency for a municipal police department of our size and complexity. And Hendersonville is a very attractive destination in both proximity and in allure as a host for law enforcement professional development courses,” Blake said. “We are proud to take advantage of it.”

<p>Forty-five officers from at least five eastern states trekked to Hendersonville this week to learn about leadership in a nationally-acclaimed class, hosted by a small police department with big ambitions.</p><p>Hendersonville Police Chief Herbert Blake said his promise when he was appointed to lead the force six years ago this December “was to introduce the staff to the best leadership training available.”</p><p>Since then, the 51-full-time-member Hendersonville Police Department has hosted several classes ranging from law enforcement training for officers across the region to rape aggression defense classes and bike safety courses for citizens. </p><p>Monday marked the department's second time hosting a Federal Bureau of Investigation's Law Enforcement Executive Development Association institute. This course focused on command leadership.</p><p>“I wanted to host the courses because other leaders within our department — Capt. Bruce Simonds, Lt. Chris Leroy and Sgt. Brandon McGaha — were extremely motivated to make this happen as well, and willing to serve as facilitators for the course,” Blake said.</p><p>The LEEDA Command Institute covers topics such as credibility, leading a new command, leading change, organizational culture, surviving and succeeding as a policy executive, vicarious liability and establishing a leadership legacy. </p><p>But lessons go beyond the textbook. </p><p>“One of the biggest components (of the class) is we're not really instructing, we're facilitating. We facilitate a discussion where the officers learn from each other,” said LEEDA Instructor Tim Plotts. “It's about cops talking to cops.”</p><p>In a class that encourages candid group discussion, officers divulge experiences — some painful, some pleasant — that have shaped them as officers or helped them in their professions. </p><p>“It's group learning,” Plotts said.</p><p>One officer shared that his city's department takes the time to meet and greet new residents, shaking their hands and welcoming them to the area, with the help of addresses on city water bills. Another classmate said his department does something similar. </p><p>“It's not traditional policing,” Plotts said, but the quick get-to-know-you sessions can be a positive exchange with a public who may have otherwise only seen the officer as just a law-enforcing cop. </p><p>Another lesson from home surfaced in the class a year ago, when officers shared the painful stigma heaped on their shoulders after former Henderson County Sheriff Rick Davis resigned amid controversy. Plotts admitted that the law enforcement profession hasn't always been the best at preparing officers for how to deal with issues as they rise through the ranks.</p><p>“Let's be a little bit more proactive about how we lead people as opposed to learning from our bumps and bruises... Those bumps and bruises take some time to get over and if we can avoid them,” he said in a nod to the LEEDA class. </p><p>Plotts, a local FBI LEEDA instructor who retired from the N.C. Highway Patrol after 30 years of service, has been teaching the course for two years. His next stop will be Polson, Mont.</p><p>Keith Bushey, who instructed the course with him this week, is a retired Marine who served several years in law enforcement, including a stint as a commander for the Los Angeles Police Department.</p><p>Blake has graduated from three week-long FBI leadership courses, referred to as regional command colleges, associated with LEEDA. He is a member of the FBI LEEDA program.</p><p>“These courses are extremely well received and come highly recommended,” he said.</p><p>Officers hailing from Ohio, Maryland, Virginia and both Carolinas will join the ranks of FBI LEEDA Command Institute graduates and members Friday at the city's Operations Center. Several Hendersonville officers will graduate from the class.</p><p>“What I want to have implemented and what I believe is being implemented during my leadership as chief from these kinds of training experiences is for our workforce to have a strong customer service orientation. I also want to have leadership practiced at all levels within our department, to push the decision-making process to the front line of services where most of the work gets done,” Blake said.</p><p>With a growing reputation of officers rising to new positions, and two employees leaving to serve as police chiefs over the past couple of years, the training seems to be paying off at the Hendersonville Police Department.</p><p>“By and large our employees believe we are viewed as a flagship agency for a municipal police department of our size and complexity. And Hendersonville is a very attractive destination in both proximity and in allure as a host for law enforcement professional development courses,” Blake said. “We are proud to take advantage of it.”</p><p>For more information on FBI LEEDA courses, visit www.fbileeda.org.</p><p>Reach Weaver at emily.weaver@blueridgenow.com or 828-694-7867.</p>